Instructions for Authors
Complete guidelines for preparing and submitting your fetal surgery manuscript.
Manuscript Preparation Guidelines
Fetal Surgery publishes original research, reviews, case reports, and technical notes advancing prenatal intervention science. These comprehensive instructions ensure your manuscript meets our publication standards and expedites the review process. Following these guidelines carefully will help your research reach maternal-fetal medicine specialists worldwide.
Manuscript Types
Original Research
- Maximum 5,000 words excluding references
- Abstract: 300 words structured format
- Up to 8 figures and tables combined
- Minimum 30 references
Review Articles
- Maximum 7,000 words excluding references
- Abstract: 350 words narrative format
- Up to 10 figures and tables combined
- Comprehensive reference list expected
Case Reports
- Maximum 2,500 words excluding references
- Abstract: 200 words unstructured format
- Up to 5 figures and tables combined
- Minimum 15 references
Technical Notes
- Maximum 2,000 words excluding references
- Abstract: 150 words unstructured format
- Up to 4 figures and tables combined
- Focus on methodology and innovation
Manuscript Structure
Title Page
Include concise title under 20 words, full author names with degrees, institutional affiliations, corresponding author contact details with ORCID identifier, running head under 50 characters, and word count for main text.
Abstract
For original research use structured format with Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions sections. Include three to five keywords from MeSH terminology relevant to fetal surgery and prenatal intervention.
Introduction
Provide context for the research question, summarize relevant literature, identify knowledge gaps, and clearly state study objectives or hypotheses guiding the investigation.
Methods
Describe study design, patient selection criteria, surgical techniques with sufficient detail for reproduction, imaging protocols, outcome measures, and statistical analysis methods with software specifications.
Results
Present findings objectively with appropriate statistical analysis. Use tables and figures to display data clearly. Report effect sizes and confidence intervals alongside p-values for clinical relevance assessment.
Discussion
Interpret results in context of existing literature, acknowledge limitations, discuss clinical implications for prenatal intervention practice, and suggest directions for future fetal surgery research.
References
Use Vancouver citation style with numbered references in order of appearance. Include DOI for all available references. Ensure all citations are recent and directly relevant to the manuscript content.
Figures and Tables
Submit high-resolution images minimum 300 DPI in TIFF or JPEG format. Include descriptive captions. Tables should be editable format with clear headers and appropriate statistical notations.
Ethical Requirements
Human Subjects Research
All research involving human subjects must have institutional review board or ethics committee approval. Include approval reference number in the Methods section. Describe informed consent procedures for pregnant patients and ensure patient privacy protection throughout manuscript.
Animal Studies
Research using animal models must comply with institutional animal care committee guidelines and relevant national regulations. Describe anesthesia, surgical procedures, and humane endpoints. Follow ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal research.
Conflict of Interest
All authors must disclose relevant financial relationships, consulting arrangements, and potential conflicts that could influence the research or its interpretation. Declare funding sources with grant numbers.
Authorship Criteria
All listed authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria demonstrating substantial contributions to conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, drafting, and final approval. Acknowledge non-author contributors separately.
Patient Privacy: Remove all identifying information from images including facial features, unique anatomical markings, and hospital identifiers. Obtain written consent for publication of recognizable images. For fetal imaging, ensure maternal identity protection while maintaining diagnostic clarity essential for educational purposes.
Formatting Guidelines
Prepare manuscripts in Microsoft Word or compatible format with standard margins of 2.5 centimeters on all sides. Use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font with double-spacing throughout including references and figure legends. Number all pages consecutively and include line numbers for reviewer reference. Use standard abbreviations or define non-standard abbreviations at first use in abstract and main text separately.
Supplementary Materials
Authors may submit supplementary files including surgical videos, extended imaging sequences, detailed protocols, additional tables, and raw datasets. Surgical videos should be under 100 megabytes in MP4 format with clear narration or annotations explaining key procedural steps. Supplementary materials undergo peer review but are published online only.
Revision Submissions
Revised manuscripts should include a detailed point-by-point response letter addressing each reviewer comment. Highlight changes in the manuscript using track changes or colored text. Submit revised manuscript within sixty days of decision notification. Extensions may be requested through editorial office communication.
Statistical Guidelines
Report statistical methods with sufficient detail to enable verification by a knowledgeable reader with access to original data. Specify statistical software used with version numbers. For comparative studies, describe sample size calculations and power analysis justifying study design. Report both p-values and effect sizes with confidence intervals to convey clinical significance alongside statistical significance. For fetal surgery outcomes, consider appropriate survival analysis methods accounting for gestational age at intervention and follow-up duration.
Data Availability
Authors are encouraged to share research data supporting their findings. Include a data availability statement describing how readers can access underlying datasets. Options include public repository deposit with DOI citation, supplementary data files, or controlled access through institutional data sharing agreements. For patient data, ensure all shared information is fully de-identified in compliance with applicable privacy regulations. Where data cannot be shared due to ethical or legal constraints, explain these limitations clearly in the statement.
Nomenclature and Terminology
Use standardized nomenclature throughout manuscripts. For fetal surgical procedures, follow established terminology from the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society. Use anatomical terms consistent with Terminologia Anatomica standards. For genetic conditions, reference OMIM identifiers where applicable. Drug names should use international nonproprietary names with trade names in parentheses at first mention. Abbreviations for surgical techniques should be defined at first use and used consistently throughout the manuscript.
Surgical Video Requirements
Videos demonstrating surgical techniques are strongly encouraged for procedural manuscripts. Submit videos in MP4 format with H.264 encoding for optimal compatibility. Maximum file size is 100 megabytes. Include audio narration or text overlays explaining key surgical steps. Add timestamps in the manuscript text referencing specific video segments. Ensure patient anonymity by removing identifying information from frames. Videos undergo peer review alongside manuscripts and are published as supplementary online content.
Submit Your Manuscript Today
Ready to share your fetal surgery research with the global medical community.
